有色钢铁行业周观点（2025年第12周）：持续关注黄金与钢铁板块投资机会

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the non-ferrous and steel industry [5]. Core Viewpoints - Continuous attention is recommended for investment opportunities in the gold and steel sectors, with expectations of improved profitability in the steel industry due to changes in the iron ore supply landscape and a recovery in demand [2][14]. - The Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates and reduce the pace of balance sheet reduction is expected to enhance dollar liquidity, benefiting gold prices [14]. - The steel sector has experienced three years of adjustment, and current positions present high potential returns, with leading companies showing improved profitability and stability [14]. Summary by Sections 1. Macro Overview - The Federal Reserve's March meeting kept interest rates unchanged, with guidance for two rate cuts within the year. Starting April 1, the monthly redemption cap for government bonds will decrease from $25 billion to $5 billion, signaling a more accommodative monetary policy [14]. 2. Steel Market - Steel consumption increased, with rebar consumption rising to 2.43 million tons, a 4.19% week-on-week increase. However, the overall price index for steel dropped by 1.17% [15][39]. - The total inventory of steel decreased significantly, with a notable year-on-year decline of 24.57% [26]. - Profit margins for long and short process rebar have decreased, with long process margins down by 14 CNY/ton and short process margins down by 48 CNY/ton [34][29]. 3. Industrial Metals - The TC/RC negative values have deepened, indicating potential for continued copper price increases. The LME aluminum price was reported at $2,652/ton, a 2.25% decrease week-on-week [17]. - The production costs for electrolytic aluminum have decreased, with significant profit increases reported for both Xinjiang and Shandong regions [17]. 4. Precious Metals - Gold prices are expected to reach new highs due to increased demand driven by tariffs and inflation expectations. As of March 21, COMEX gold prices were reported at $3,028.2/oz, a 1.16% increase week-on-week [17]. - The non-commercial net long positions in gold increased by 9.25% week-on-week, indicating growing investor interest [17]. 5. New Energy Metals - Lithium production in China saw a significant year-on-year increase of 57.44% in February 2025, with prices for battery-grade lithium reported at 74,400 CNY/ton [16][45]. - The demand for nickel and cobalt is also rising, with substantial increases in production and prices reported [47][54].